The best gifts are those given by a deeply caring parent, a special relative, or a friend. Presents seldom last, but memories do. Parents are advised to create memories for their children this holiday season by giving them their time, caring, and love. Parents should make and keep promises to spend time with their children. (MLH)

Many schools fail to recognize slower learners' needs and to develop interdisciplinary and cooperative learning exercises allowing "crows" to soar educationally. Adopting the middle school philosophy and organizing a school into heterogeneous groups is insufficient. Every school must promote diversity in the classroom that enriches the…

Guest teachers are not sanctioned counterfeits of "real" teachers; they are optional community resources who can provide an additional, meaningful dimension to students' learning. This article provides administrators with recommendations for welcoming substitutes, familiarizing them with school schedules and lesson plans, and helping them work…

Characteristics of attention-deficit-disorder students include inability to concentrate, messy or incomplete work, difficulty following directions, failure to follow game rules, poor peer relations, and low self-esteem. Teachers should use visuals, provide "wait time" between changes in activities, give short, well-structured homework assignments,…

With eighth-grader in White House, America is in for four years of voyeuristically observed adolescence. As Chelsea Clinton and millions of other 12 year olds know, junior high is where real psychological action is. Middle school is cruel, self-conscious culture, replete with rumors, complicated dress codes, and popularity-driven status hierarchy.…

Humor is a critical ingredient for personal and organizational success, as it stimulates creativity, encourages relaxation, enhances attention levels, builds positive attitudes and team spirit, and establishes interpersonal rapport. A Virginia middle school devised a number of fun-filled activities to enliven faculty meetings, awards…

In a recent survey, 70 effective middle-level administrators describe what qualities make them and their schools successful. Many mentioned superior teaching staff, liking for students, supportive parents, high expectations and commitment, delegation of leadership responsibility, focus on change, personal characteristics, professional activities,…

A seventh grade student in Nebraska asked for information about becoming a teacher in middle schools. The letter was forwarded to present and former members of the National Association of Secondary School Principals' Council on Middle Level Education. Ten responses provide a broad look at the complex question, "What makes a successful teacher at…

Participating in a transition to a middle-level school provides the most potential for professional growth within a given school culture. In this article, a former middle school principal shows how a content-oriented, somewhat inflexible veteran seventh-grade social studies teacher reluctantly embraced middle-school teaming and eventually…

Diagnosis of cognitive learning skills could be the first step to reducing painful learning environments. Every student has an individual learning style and different cognitive learning abilities. Teachers need to be aware of these differences and modify instruction based on the student needs. (MLF)

Examines similarities in implementing theories of multiple intelligences, learning styles, and brain-based education in middle schools: (1) theories are learning and learner-centered; (2) teacher is a reflective practitioner and decisionmaker; (3) student is a reflective practitioner; (4) the whole person is educated; (5) the curriculum has…